Candy Apples

One of the best things about the county fair were those candied apples, and cotton candy on a stick. Although I never mastered the cotton candy, I have perfected those candy apples. The best time to make these is when the air inside and out is crisp with a chill; late September, all of October and November is the best.

Candy making is considered an art, but it can be so much fun. The most important tool you will need is a candy thermometer as shown here > You can get it for about $5-7 from Walmart.

In a medium pot, over medium heat, begin combining the ingredients of sugar, corn syrup, and water, Stir ingredients to ensure well mixed. You should add in your jello or Kool-Aid mixture at this point too, if you so desire to add that to the recipe. Once it begins to bowl, place your candy thermometer into the mixture. The degree of temperature you desire is between 300 to 310 F, or 149-154 C. If you don't have a candy thermometer then drop a small amount into cold water, it should form a hard brittle threaded ball.

1.     Ingredients

Recipe makes approx. 15 candied apples

15 apples

2 cups white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups water

8 drops red food coloring

Additives to consider: 

I've actually added that Cherry Flavor to my candied apples by adding 1/2 package of Sugar Free Cherry Jello or Sugar Free Raspberry Jello or 1/2 package of Cherry Kool-Aid   

Directions: 

While your mixture is heating up,  Insert craft sticks into whole, clean and stemmed apples. On a cookie sheet, lightly spray with cooking grease (you can use butter flavored, or regular cooking spray, but do not grab the Olive Oil spray can by mistake, your apples will taste nasty).  Once your candy liquid is at the right temperature, this is the time to dip those apples. Holding apple by its stick, tilt the pan slightly, and dip it into the syrup. Be sure to coat evenly, then place on prepared cookie sheet to harden. The best results to hardening the handy is to place the covered apples in a cool dry place.  When I was a child we used to place the tray out on the picnic table outside the kitchen door; within an hour we were eating those apples. Can you say YUM YUM!  Enjoy.